U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,006 discloses a high temperature corrosion simulator. This known corrosion simulator comprises a reactor vessel or an array of reactor vessels which can be arranged in series. In such a reactor vessel, a corrosion coupon or a different kind of corrosion probe can be introduced. Through the reactor vessel or reactor vessels, a high temperature test fluid, which is at least suspected to induce corrosion, is circulated. The simulator further comprises a plug for influencing the flow pattern of the test fluid through the reactor vessel. Such a plug can be provided with a heat exchanger.
The known corrosion simulator and method has the disadvantage that the test fluid is kept at a high temperature throughout the entire execution of the test. Many relevant test fluids, such as crude oil or fractions thereof, tend to respond to this by a change in properties, which change has an undesired effect on the test results.